MADELIA, MN, 

A common complaint this summer in Southern Minnesota this summer?

"It keeps raining!  Our park is completely flooded and well I don't think it's going to go down too soon," said Karla Angus of the Madelia Chamber of Commerce.

The Watonwan River has crested in some parts, but in others it's still climbing.

Take Madelia for example.  The portion of the Watonwan that runs through town is still rising, creating flooding conditions at one major park and the local golf course.

Madelia is no stranger to a little spring flooding, it's just the time of year with this one that makes it unique.

"If we get a lot of snow I mean sometimes we have some early flooding but this time of year?  No," explained Angus.  Usually the park is beautiful and we're able to use it and it is a beautiful park but this year is a different year."

At this point, there's not much the community can do besides wait for the water to retreat back inside the river banks.

Some parts of the Watonwan River have risen more than nine feet.  Both Watona Park and the Madelia Golf Course have been completely flooded out.  For perspective, the water is nearly halfway up the garage doors of a building located in the park.

"We're having an emergency meeting tonight to make some new plans, hopefully we won't have to cancel," said Angus.  "We'll just try to find a new location, maybe on Main Street."

Park Days is the annual town festival Madelia throws every summer.  Slated for the weekend of July 13th, city officials will need the water to move out of the park and the grass area to dry in a matter of a couple weeks to avoid moving the festival.

--KEYC News 12

In an effort to make the Distinguished Service Award meaningful to the recipient and the Association, the 2018 Awards Committee has created the following set of guidelines.  Any member can be nominated, but greatest consideration will be given to those who have distinguished themselves supporting the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association.  Date for submission is November 15th.

The required point total necessary to be considered for the MGCSA Distinguished Service Award can be a combination of any of the following.  The minimum number of points necessary for the DSA Award is 25.

The Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame nominee must have previously attained the MGCSA DSA Award and fulfilled an additional 15 points beyond those previously acquired.  DSA recipients prior to the establishment of the new criteria will require 15 additional points in any category based on Committee suggestion.

The Board of Directors and Awards Committee will be responsible for final decisions.

• Terms on the MGCSA BOD  = 2 points per term, including officer position, 4 maximum
  
• Officer Position = 1 point per office elected
  
• Audubon Certification and re-certification = 2 points, 4 maximum
  
• ESI Award = 2 points maximum
  
• Support of the University of MN research plots = 2 points, 4 maximum
  
• Support of the GCSAA committee members = 2 points, 4 maximum
  
• GCSAA, MTGF and Allied Association BOD or committee role = 1 point per year, 3 maximum
  
• MGCSA Membership =1 point per decade
  
• Certification = 2 points then 1 per renewal, 5 maximum
  
• MGCSA event participation = 2 maximum
  
• Civic Community Service points =1 point for each position 3 maximum
  
• Mentor potential= 1 point per professional through superintendent class, 3 maximum
  
• Any MGCSA, GCSAA or industry Presentations =1 per presentation, 4 maximum
  
• Any MGCSA or GCSAA or industry articles written =1 per article, 3 maximum
  
• Completion of any MGCSA Environmental Initiative Packet = 3 points per packet
  
• Contribution to golf that can’t be anticipated = 5 points maximum
  

*** The Committee can assign any number of points to those individuals who do not have access to this point system due to placement in our industry.  For example, educators and affiliate members.

Please provide your nomination to the Awards Committee through jack@mgcsa.org.  Include a list of nominee accomplishments and statement of recommendation.  The award will be presented at the Annual Meeting during the Service Award recognition.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – 3M and the PGA TOUR today announced an agreement to bring an official PGA TOUR event to the Twin Cities beginning in 2019. Hosted by the nonprofit 3M Open Fund, the seven-year deal will bring the world’s top golfers to TPC Twin Cities in Blaine for a new FedExCup Season event, the 3M Open, beginning next summer.

The 2019 dates for the 3M Open will be made official in the coming weeks as part of the PGA TOUR’s 2018-19 schedule announcement.

The 3M Open will build off the success and momentum of the 3M Championship, the current PGA TOUR Champions event at TPC Twin Cities. The 3M Championship, which dates back to 1993, will be contested for the last time on August 3-5, 2018, with Paul Goydos defending his 2017 title.

In 2019, the playing of the 3M Open will mark the first official PGA TOUR event in Minnesota since the 2009 PGA Championship, won in thrilling fashion by Y.E. Yang over Tiger Woods at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska.

“3M is honored to welcome the top players on the PGA TOUR to the Twin Cities, and we look forward to the many opportunities this tournament will bring to support our community,” said Paul Keel, 3M senior vice president of Business Development and Marketing-Sales. “We’ve formed a great relationship with PGA TOUR Champions over the last 25 years and are excited to build on that partnership with the 3M Open.”

“We are delighted to partner with 3M for this new PGA TOUR event in the Twin Cities, a community that has shown tremendous support for professional golf over the years with PGA TOUR Champions, the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, and has deservedly played host to the biggest events in sports – Super Bowls, Final Fours, among them,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The 3M Open will also continue 3M’s commitment to charity and positively impacting lives.”

3M’s long-time PGA TOUR Champions partner Pro Links Sports will manage the 3M Open. Together, over the past 25 years, the 3M Championship has raised more than $26 million for Minnesotans and their families to lead healthier, fuller lives. Dollars raised from the event have built new operating rooms, funded cancer and heart research and improved emergency rooms in the Twin Cities. As the tournament transitions to the 3M Open, the 3M Open Fund will donate all the proceeds from the tournament to local organizations.

“I would like to thank 3M for their tremendous support of PGA TOUR Champions golf, and with their continued commitment we now have the opportunity to bring PGA TOUR golf to the fans of Minnesota every year,” said Pro Links Sports Executive Director Hollis Cavner. “We’ve been able to donate millions of dollars to charity and we expect to do even more with the 3M Open. This is a true win for Minnesota.”

The 3M Championship is scheduled for July 30^th-August 5^th this year and we are hoping you will be able to join us this year preparing TPC Twin Cities for the only televised PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS event in the Twin Cities.

Volunteers ensure the success of course preparations for the event while also providing a unique opportunity for the individual to participate in the setup and conditioning of a professional golf venue. We have been very fortunate to have a great response to our need for volunteers in the past and we are looking forward to another great year in 2018.  Whether you are joining us for the first time or are one the seasoned volunteers who have helped us in the past, the experience is both rewarding and fun.

NO GOLF COURSE EXPERIENCE NECESSARY as all skill levels and shift requirements are welcome.  Volunteers will be provided uniforms, tournament access credentials, and meals. Please feel free to pass this information along with the accompanying forms to anyone in your circle of friends and colleagues who would like to volunteer as well.

Although the deadline is July 22, 2018 to send in your information, we would appreciate hearing back from you as soon as possible.  This makes it much easier for us to order the correct number of shirts and hats and schedule meals with vendors.  We will gladly accept volunteers up to the day of the event but we cannot guarantee we will have a shirt and hat to give you.

Please use the attached link to register for the event.

Link Here For Registration

The educational and networking event for assistant superintendents will welcome 50 members to its 2018 class this fall.

May 22, 2018 | GCM staff

John Deere Golf and Bayer Environmental Science are now accepting applications for the 13th annual Green Start Academy (GSA). Applications can be submitted on the Green Start Academy website through June 25.

Fifty applicants will be selected to attend the event, held Oct. 24-26 in North Carolina. Assistant superintendents will be notified of their selection during the week of Aug. 6. Travel costs are supported by John Deere and Bayer.

Open to assistant superintendents from the U.S. and Canada, Green Start Academy offers an opportunity for attendees to advance their careers, develop critical business skills, and network with prominent professionals in the industry.

“The Green Start Academy is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for assistant superintendents,” says Ren Wilkes, marketing manager for John Deere Golf. “As a leader in the golf industry, we know it is important to help shape the next generation of superintendents. For more than 12 years, we have witnessed countless GSA alumni use their experiences from the event to propel their careers and further the game of golf.”

As part of Green Start Academy, attendees will travel to the Bayer Development and Training Center in Clayton, N.C., the John Deere Turf Care factory in nearby Fuquay-Varina, and the John Deere headquarters in Cary, N.C. In addition to getting a behind-the-scenes look at the John Deere and Bayer facilities, attendees will be able to network with and learn from top golf industry professionals to gain invaluable, career-enhancing insights.

“As every superintendent knows, turf care is only part of the job,” says David Wells, golf segment manager for Bayer. “Networking, budgeting, leadership and other skills are critical too. GSA was designed to cultivate those skills, and to provide a venue for assistants to meet one-on-one with both their peers and those they aspire to emulate. We’re honored to help assistants grow their roles as future leaders of golf course management through GSA each year.”

David Delsandro, grounds superintendent at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club and an adviser for the 2018 Green Start Academy, has seen firsthand the program’s value.

“Attending Green Start Academy was a defining moment in my professional development,” says Delsandro, a 2006 Green Start Academy alumnus and a 16-year GCSAA member. “John Deere and Bayer provided a first-class, fantastic experience. Each year I continue to recommend that all of our assistant superintendents apply.”

Despite abundant water resources in the state and region, our water supply is not endless

Sam Bauer’s family is in the tire business. But he’s all about grass—the kind you find in a lawn. As a teenager, Sam worked at the local golf course near his home in Wisconsin, falling for the outdoors and the lush green turf. He knew even then that this would be his lifelong pursuit.

“My passion is around putting less stuff on our lawns, including water,” he said. “We can have both: green grass and water savings.”

Today, Bauer is an Extension Educator at the University of Minnesota working on a two-year water efficiency project with the Metropolitan Council. Preserving our precious water supply is a goal both organizations share.

We don’t always treat water like the precious resource that it is. Data show that homeowners in the metro area use three times as much water during the summer months as compared with winter months. That’s because we’re tapping our water supply to keep our lawns green, often using lawn irrigation or sprinkling systems.

It’s a pattern that prompted the Council to partner with the U of M to survey residents about their lawn irrigation systems and practices, and test the performance of different grass species under dry conditions. Do we really need so much water for lawn irrigation?

Summary of irrigation practices survey

• ·      Residents prefer Kentucky Bluegrass, a species that requires more watering to stay green than lower maintenance grass species, like the fescues.

• ·      Many residents run their irrigation, or lawn sprinkler system, on an every-other-day schedule, regardless of the weather or soil moisture.

• ·      The average homeowner waters a significant portion of impervious surfaces, in other words, sidewalks, streets, driveways and patios.

• ·      Most irrigation systems have leaking sprinkler heads and many homeowners don’t have their systems checked for efficiency.

Here’s Sam’s advice about your lawn irrigation system; “Turn it off! We’re overwatering, wasting water, and wasting money, and our lawns aren’t necessarily better for it.”

He recommends manually turning irrigation systems on and off, as needed, to supplement rainfall during dry conditions. Or, investing in a smart irrigation controller that links to a weather station and automatically adjusts for weather conditions.

Tips for a luscious lawn and water savings

• ·      Check irrigation system sprinkler heads to ensure they’re working properly and repair them if they’re not.

• ·      Adjust sprinkler heads so they’re not watering hard surfaces.

• ·      Use grass species that require less water and maintenance.

• ·      Adjust your irrigation system as you change your landscaping.

• ·      Maintain grass at about 3.5 inches high.

• ·      Aerate soil to improve infiltration and infuse oxygen.

Sam says there’s real value to managing lawns appropriately, and homeowners bear responsibility for using water resources efficiently and effectively.

It’s one of many strategies the Council embraces to protect the region’s abundant but vulnerable water supply now and in the future.

There’s no understating the value of water. Water is prosperity. Water is essential. Water is life.

You can help

You can save money—and water for future generations—by replacing your clock-based irrigation controller with a WiFi connected, WaterSense-certified Smart Controller. For more information, contact your water utility or visit the EPA WaterSense website.

The Council's Water Conservation Toolbox has useful resources for homeowners.

By Eric Roper Star Tribune

The Legislature has approved a measure to halt enforcement of a sweeping 2017 court order that reined in water use in communities around White Bear Lake.

The measure, approved by the Senate Monday and the House last week, would effectively pause new regulations imposed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) this winter on a dozen cities in the northeast metro.

Those stem from a lengthy legal battle over low levels of White Bear Lake, which a judge attributed last year to excessive pumping of groundwater that the DNR should have stopped.

The regulations require permitted groundwater users within 5 miles of White Bear Lake to enforce residential sprinkling bans tied to lake levels, set per-capita limits on water use, and develop plans for switching to river or lake water in the future.

Those changes remain in limbo while the affected cities are challenging them through the administrative hearing process. The DNR also appealed the judge’s ruling on Friday, but it has already inserted the court-ordered provisions into groundwater permits.

The legislation would bar the DNR from enforcing the order for one year. It passed the Senate on a 42-25 vote.

Sen. Roger Chamberlain, who sponsored the Senate bill, said during Monday’s debate on the measure that citizens in the affected cities have been denied due process.

“The judge did not simply just order damages to the plaintiffs,” said Chamberlain, R-Lino Lakes. “The judge has stepped in and said, ‘You’re going to spend money.’ ”

Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, said the Legislature was improperly intervening in an ongoing legal process.

“I think it would set a really terrible precedent, [and] be a very bad move for the Legislature to say when we disagree with a district court’s decision, that we are going to intervene and pause the legal proceedings because we don’t like it,” Latz said.

Gov. Mark Dayton, a DFLer, indicated he was open to delaying the rules.

“If they need another year to try to work out a better resolution, I could certainly — I wouldn’t veto that,” Dayton said at a news conference Monday. “I’m not going to take a position on the bill, one way or the other.”

The judge’s ruling last year could change the habits of hundreds of thousands of people in the metro area. That’s in part because it brought one of the region’s largest water suppliers, St. Paul Regional Water Services, into the new requirements. St. Paul’s 400,000 customers get most of their water from the Mississippi River, but the utility also maintains wells within 5 miles of White Bear Lake.

In a filing Monday asking to stay the district court’s ruling, the DNR said the judge’s order was based on “many erroneous factual and legal conclusions.” It challenged, for example, the court’s conclusions about what constitutes normal White Bear Lake levels.

“DNR will be opening administrative proceedings for 18 challenges [to amendments] required by the district court while simultaneously appealing the judgment as factually and legally erroneous,” the agency said. “This multiplicity of proceedings will lead to extensive and costly litigation that may be rendered moot if this Court reverses any material portion of the district court’s order.”

Regarding St. Paul, it added: “An administrative law judge could find that there is no basis to require the St. Paul Regional Water System to implement a residential watering ban across the entire city of St. Paul given that it draws all or nearly all of its water from non-groundwater sources.”

In an interview last month, Assistant DNR Commissioner Barb Naramore said the agency does not believe a residential irrigation ban would have much effect on White Bear Lake levels.

“The science is continuing to develop,” Naramore said. “We don’t agree with the court’s interpretation of the information that was available at the time of the trial. And there’s additional information available.”

Member Driven Research

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A RESEARCH IDEA TO BE CARRIED OUT AT YOUR FACILITY

ON SIGHT- A Directional Pivot for Member-Driven Research

                In the winter of 2012/13, the MGCSA membership embarked on a new research initiative with the University of Minnesota’s Turfgrass Science Program titled Member-Driven Research.  Member-Driven Research was created whereby the members would help determine the projects we would conduct. Since 2013, this collaborative effort has led to innovative studies on topics such as using growing degree-days to precisely schedule an application of plant growth regulators, wetting agent influences on surface performance, and strategies to minimize or overcome the impacts of winter damage; such as bentgrass germination in low temperatures and variety freezing tolerance of common and alternative turfgrass species. These studies are on the leading edge of turfgrass research in northern climates, something that the MGCSA should be very proud of.  We showcase this research through five regional Outreach events across Minnesota and Western Wisconsin, as well as In-reach events in the Twin Cities.  In addition, this research is published in Hole Notes, Golf Course Management, Golf Course Industry, Green Section Record and in various peer-reviewed scientific journals.    

                As researchers we strive to produce timely results that can be implemented in your day-to-day management programs.  To have confidence in our recommendations, we require our research to be replicated both in space (more than one location) and time (more than one year).  Through replication we Identify impact of weather, soil types, management programs, ect…  To that end, it can often take us researchers some time to “catch up” to the innovative practices that you are “studying” on a daily basis at your properties.  While we continue down the path of cutting edge research in long-term studies, such as degradation of wetting agent chemistries over time based on temperature, we (and the membership) had the desire to get back to the heart of the Member-Driven Research initiative, that being quick, practical studies determined by the membership. 

                At the biennial MGCSA Board of Directors Retreat, U of M floated the idea of ON SIGHT research to the board.  The idea is simple- golf course superintendents, assistant superintendents, or management staff can submit research ideas through an intake form on the MGCSA website.  Our program will evaluate these ideas and coordinate with superintendents to carry out these studies on their golf courses.  We would help you design a trial to study your research question and put some ownership back on you to take pictures and collect data.  Superintendents will then communicate back to us on a weekly or bi-weekly basis for the duration of the study.  The opportunities here are endless and this is a great way to learn about innovative strategies from your peers. 

                To get the ON SIGHT research off the ground in the first year, we solicited the Board of Directors for study ideas, some of the topics identified for ON SIGHT research included:

• Protecting annual bluegrass from winter injury
• Syringing of putting greens as a means of plant cooling
• Moss control on putting greens
• Fungicide efficacy on the duration of dollar spot suppression
• Late-fall plant growth regulator applications
• Bentgrass variety germination in cold temperatures

                We are excited about this pivot in direction and we will keep the membership updated through Hole Notes articles and a blog housed on the MGCSA website and at turf.umn.edu.  Look for this information and the study intake form in the near future.

                Our first study of the year is already underway and it came about from the recent warming trend that spanned almost a week in mid-February.  Annual bluegrass comes out of dormancy earlier than creeping bentgrass in the spring and this February heat wave caused a concern of dormant annual bluegrass waking up from winter.  When grasses come out of dormancy they take in water and subfreezing temperatures following this can cause death by crown hydration.  As a superintendent, there no opportunities to keep annual bluegrass in dormancy (covering prior to the warm up would only encourage growth), but is there anything you can do to protect it from the impending cold?  Brent Belanger (U of M GC Superintendent) and Erin McManus (Medina CC Superintendent) were kind enough to allow us space to put covers on annual bluegrass at their properties prior to the freeze in late-February. We are evaluating two different cover styles- Excelsior covers and Evergreen covers, with and without a reapplication of contact fungicide for snow mold prevention.  

                Stay tuned as we continue with ON SIGHT research this spring and thank you for your continued support. 

UMN Turfgrass Science Team  

May 15, 2018 | Howard Richman, GCSAA

The students of James B. Beard, Ph.D., had a name for him.

“We used to call him ‘the pope of turfgrass,’” says Johnny Walker, GCSAA South Central field staff representative. “His mind was always working on the next research project and was so interested in what made the plant work.”

Beard, 82, passed away Monday evening. He is considered a pioneer in turfgrass science, and spent much of his career at universities, including Michigan State and Texas A&M, which is where Walker studied under him.

A native of Bradford, Ohio, Beard authored numerous works, including the famed “Turfgrass: Science and Culture” in 1973, “Turf Management for Golf Courses,” and 2004’s “Beard’s Turfgrass Encyclopedia for Golf Courses, Grounds, Lawns, Sports Fields.” Beard, who wrote hundreds of peer-reviewed papers and technical papers, donated his collection of turfgrass research materials in 2003 to the Turfgrass Information Center at Michigan State, where he taught from 1961 to 1975.

“He is the grandfather — the godfather — of turfgrass science. I don’t think anybody would argue with that,” says Kevin Frank, Ph.D., associate professor at Michigan State. “What stands out was his leadership in making turfgrass a science.”

The recipient of GCSAA’s Distinguished Service Award in 1993, Beard earned his bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Ohio State University and, later, both his master’s in crop ecology and doctorate in turfgrass physiology from Purdue University. He founded the International Sports Turf Institute, headquartered in College Station, Texas, and had been professor emeritus of turfgrass at Texas A&M since 1993.

“He was focused, congenial, respectful. He was a visionary when it came to building a strong research program across the board,” says Paul Rieke, Ph.D., an authority on turfgrass soil and nutrition in his own right and a colleague of Beard’s at Michigan State. “He was a very precise scientist. He clearly challenged the status quo.”

Joe Vargas, Ph.D., was a colleague and longtime friend of Beard. Vargas launched his career 50 years ago as a researcher at Michigan State. “I started Nov. 1, 1968, and by the second week, he dragged me up to Boyne Highlands (in Harbor Springs, Mich.) to put out a snow mold plot,” Vargas says. “Before him, we were spray-and-pray guys. Dr. Beard was the first real scientist to understand why things were happening, such as why there is stress in the plant. He did the research. The main thing he taught me was how to be a critical researcher and not just jump into something. I would go talk to somebody, which usually was him.”

Never far away was Harriet Beard, who was a wife and a teammate. So much, in fact, that she collaborated with him and their son James on the book “Turfgrass History and Literature: Lawns, Sports, and Golf,” which was selected as the 2015 recipient of the American Library Association’s Oberly Award for best bibliography in agricultural or natural sciences. Often, Beard would supply handwritten work, and Harriet, who grew up on a farm that adjoined the Beard family’s, would type it up.

Beard’s impact is felt still.

“I met him when I had just started here (in 2010),” says Ben Wherley, Ph.D., associate professor at Texas A&M. “I visited with him and Harriet at their house. For someone who was supposed to be retired (Beard taught at Texas A&M from 1975 to 1992), he was still very active, and you could see the two of them were very close. You still could see the enthusiasm for turfgrass science. It was his life. We still cite a lot of his workings and teachings.”

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Howard Richman is GCM’s associate editor.

Download your application today!

The Program: The Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents’ Association offers a scholarship program designed to assist children and grandchildren of Class AA, A, B, C, D, EM, Associate and Affiliate members. The MGCSA provides scholarships to students attending college or vocational programs at any accredited post-secondary institution. The program is independently managed by Scholarship America, a national non-profit student aid service organization. Awards will be granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, disability, national origin or financial need.

Selection of Recipients: Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of academic record, potential to succeed, leadership and participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience, a statement of education and career goals and an outside appraisal. Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship Management Services. In no instance does any member of the MGCSA play a part in the selection. Applicants will be notified by the end of July whether they have been awarded or denied a scholarship.

Eligibility: Applicants for the MGCSA Legacy Scholarships must be: children/grandchildren of Class AA, A, B, C, D, EM, Associate or Affiliate members who have been members of the MGCSA at least five years; High school seniors or graduates who plan to enroll or    students who are already enrolled in a full-time undergraduate course of study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or    vocational-technical school, and under 23 years of age.

Awards: Three awards will be given to children and grandchildren of Class AA, A, B and C members. One award of $1,500 in the name of Joseph S. Garske will be given to the highest evaluated applicant. That award will be renewable for one year contingent upon full- time enrollment and satisfactory academic performance. One other  $1,000 award will be given to other qualified applicants from this group. One  $1,000 award will be available to children and grandchildren of Class D, EM, Associate and Affiliate members. These awards are not renewable. However, students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements. Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Obligations: Recipients have no obligation to the MGCSA or its members. They are, however, required to supply Scholarship Management Services with current transcripts and to notify Scholarship Management Services of any changes of address, school enrollment or other relevant information. Except as described in this brochure, no obligation is assumed by the MGCSA.

Deadline for Applications: June 1st, 2018